Go Vote, and take the kids with you

8th Nov 2016
–
by Kelly Friedl, Creative Director Urban Infant

Go vote, and take your kids with you

Learning by living is exactly what election day is about. We
talk a lot in our family about making the world a better place, and today is
one example of that. I started taking my kids with me to the polling place as
early as Kindergarten.

Voting shows kids that adults are working to make their
world a better place, and are participating in a process Americans are
fortunate to have. When we take kids with us to vote, we teach them to respect
process, to understand this civic importance, as well as to respect change. Not
just for presidents, but also for mayors, governors and state representatives
whom also affect our lives, often far more than presidents.

Here are 5 basics you need to know about voting with your
children:

1) You are allowed to bring children under 18 with you into
the voting booth in every state in the country. So yes, teenagers who are 16 or
17 can come in with you, believe it or not. So can newborns and kids of every
age in between.

2) Many states limit the number of children you can take in
to vote with you. In Maryland, for example, it's two or fewer under 18 who can
accompany a parent or caregiver into the booth. So what's a single mom of three
to do when she can't get a babysitter? I guess she'd better make fast friends
with the people in line behind her ...

3) While at the polls, your children may not interfere with
or disrupt the voting process or they may be asked to leave. Meaning there goes
your chance to vote, so bring distractions, sedatives (relax - I'm joking),
whatever it takes to keep them quiet and well-behaved. No easy feat for parents
of babies, toddlers, or otherwise rambunctious kids -- especially when the
lines are long!

4) You can let your son or daughter cast your vote for you.
Many parents do that as a way to get their kids even more involved in the
process. And they love it!

5) If you're thinking about voting with your kids as a photo
op, think again. Most states won't let you take cameras, video, or audio
devices into the voting booth, and certainly won't let you photograph the
ballot. So save the snapshots for before and after, or you and the little
ones will risk being kicked out.